Combination cigarette package and ashtray



June 29, 1937. E D, ALLEN 2,085,062

COMBINATION CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND ASHTRAY Filed Jan. 15, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1937 PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND ASHTRAY Edith D. Allen,

New York, N. Y.

Application January` 15, 1936, Serial No. 59,197

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a package for tobacco products, such as cigarettes or cigars. It is an object of my invention to provide a package constructed so that a portion or portions of the package may be removed and used as a receptacle or receptacles, for example, as an ash tray.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a, package ofA such construction that the receptacles may be used as wrappers in which ends of cigars or cigarettes which have contacted the mouth can be wrapped before being disposed of. This wrapping will prevent the spread of disease by providing suitable protection for the discarded cigarettes.

Another object of my invention is to so construct the package that the receptacle or wrapper will be of a non-inflammable or lire-resistant material, so that the cigarette ashes or the burned ends can be enclosed before disposing of the same, and, therefore, decrease the lire risk due to the discarding of burning ashes and cigarette ends.

Still another object of my invention is to construct a package so that a portion of the package may be used as a cover, which may be removed and replaced on the package to protect the contents and prevent drying or spilling of the contents after the package has been opened. The package comprising my invention is constructed of one or more laminations or Wrappings, one or more of which may be Waterproof and/or reproof. One or more of the laminations is provided with severing means whereby one end of the wrappings may be severed on all sides of the package and removed to serve as a receptacle. If more than one lamination is so severable,.a plurality of receptacles may be provided. If one or more of the receptacles are not damaged or used in discarding ashes and burned cigarettes, they may be replaced on the package to form a cover.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of thev following description and the drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing a cigarette package embodying my invention, portions of the various laminations being cut away to expose successive laminations.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing two rows of perforations for severing one end of the package.

Figure 4 is a view illustrating another method of severing one end of the package.

(Cl. 20G-41) Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on line V-V of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the method of attaching the severing means, shown in Figure 4, to one of the laminations.

Figure 7 is a view illustrating a sealing strip to cover the perforations.

Figure 8 is a view illustrating the invention applied to a cigarette package adapted to be severed lengthwise of the package.

Figure 9 is a View illustrating a portion of the package removed to serve as an ash tray or as a wrapper for ashes and cigarette ends.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the cigarettes I are wrapped preferably in a plurality of wrappers 2, 3, 3a and 4. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure l, the inner wrapping 2 is preferably of a moistureproof material. However, any sheet material may-be employed. The intermediate wrapper 3 preferably comprises fire-resistant or reproof material. The outer layer 4 is preferably composed of cellophane but may be any material which provides the package with a presentable appearance. One of the layers 2 or 4 should be waterproof. The outer layer 4 will usually be waterproof but need not necessarily be so if the inner layer 2 is waterproof. If the inner layer 2 is of waterproof material, the outer layer 4 may be omitted entire- 1y if desired. Advertising or other printed matter may be printed on the layer 4 or if the layer 4 is transparent the printing may be on the layer 3.

The inner layer 3 is scored in a line along all sides of the package as shown at 5, so that the layer may be severed along this line. By pressing a finger or thumb nail around this scoring or by employing any suitable sharp instrument, the upper portion 6 of the layer 3 will break with the layer 4 along the scored line and either or both layers may be removed to serve as an ash tray or Wrapper as illustrated in Figure 9 and as described heretofore.

The wrapping 2 need not be perforated, in which case it will not be severed; it can be retained around the cigarettes to protect them. Cellophane or metal foil are preferable for this layer because they are moistureproof and smooth. This keeps the cigarettes fresh and facilitates the replacement of the cover. If the upd per portion of the Wrapper 6 is not used as an ash tray. or is not injured by such use, it may be replaced over the inner wrapper 2 and serves as a cover providing a convenient way of protecting the cigarettes and of maintaining a neat appearing package.

'I'he inner layer 3 (as shown in Figure 9) may be removed and destroyed separately and the 'outer wrapping 4 placed over the cigarette package. If desired, the outer layer 4 may also be scored to permit a more easy separation of this layer.

'A plurality of layers such as 3 and 3a (as shown in Figure 2) may be present between the layers 2 and 4, each of which may be scored. In this manner, the innermost layer, after being used as an ash tray, may be destroyed and the remainder of the layers may be available for this use subsequently. Any number of intermediate layers may be employed.

Various combinations of the layers may be used. The inner layer is preferably moistureproof in order to retain the moisture in the cig- 20 arettes after the outer layers have been removed.

However, if it is not important to keep the oontents moist, or if one of the other layers is moisture-proof,. the layer 2 may be omitted entirely. The layer 3 is preferably formed of reproof material. Any paper rendered reproof yor re-resistant may be used. Asbestos paper is one desirable kind. Metal foil may also be used. It may be laminated paper composed of metal foil and paper, or foil laminated with asbestos or fireproof paper. The outer layer, if one is employed, may be composed of cellophane, This outer layer may also be used as an ash tray, in which case it should be reproof and may be composed of any of the materials described in oonnection with the layer 3.

Various methods may be employed in severing the top of the package other than the scoring. In Figure 2, I have shown a vmethod of severing the layer by means of perforations indicated at 1 passing through the layer 3, and also through layer 3a if two intermediate layers are employed.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated an additional method of severing the package comprising two rows of perforations indicated at 8. A tongue of the wrapper 3 may extend as at 9, which when pulled will tear along the double perforation tearing the outer layer 4 at the same time. This is particularly desirable when the outer layer is composed of cellophane or other tough material.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated an embodiment in which a tough filament l0, such as string, is inserted between two of the wrappers. It is preferably inserted inside the innermost wrapper which it is desired to sever. The filament may project slightly and, upon being pulled, will tear all of the laminations outside the filament. The filament may be secured in place by means of a wax or other adhesive, or it may be held in place by a separate strip such as illustrated at I I in Figure 6.

If all of the wrappings are perforated, or if only one perforated wrapping is employed, a sealing strip I2 may be applied around the perforation in order that the package may be kept moistureproof until it is opened.

While I have described my invention as particularly suitable* for cigarettes, it is to be understood that it is equally adaptable for cigars or tobacco in any form.

It will be obvious that many modifications in the arrangement of the various wrappings, the materials of which these are constructed, and the particular method of severing one or more of the laminations, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While I have illustrated but a few of these many modifications I do not intend my invention to be limited to such illustrative examples, but rather intend it to include all such modifications as are encompassed in the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette package and refuse receptacle comprising a plurality of separable wrappers enclosing a plurality of cigarettes, at least one of the inner wrappers being waterproof, imperforate and adapted to be retained to cover the contents of the package in their original dimensions, at least one of the outer wrappers being iire resistant and provided with means permitting it to be severed in substantially one plane on all sides of the package, whereby one end of a re resistant wrapper may be removed to form an ash tray and used as a receptacle and closed upon the contents for discarding.

2. A cigarette package and refuse receptacle comprising a plurality of separable wrappers enclosing a plurality of cigarettes, at least one of the inner wrappers being waterproof, imperforate and adapted to be retained to cover the contents of the package in their original dimensions, at least one of the outer wrappers being re resistant and provided with perforations for severing said wrapper in substantially one plane on all sides of the package, whereby one end of a fire resistant wrapper may be removed to form an ash tray and used as a receptacle and closed upon the contents for discarding.

3. A cigarette package and refuse receptacle comprising a plurality of separable wrappers enclosing a plurality of cigarettes, at least one of the inner Wrappers being waterproof, imperforate and adapted to be retained to cover the contents of the package in their original dimensions, at least one of the outer wrappers being fire resistant and provided with a filament for severing said wrapper in substantially one plane on all sides of the package, whereby one end of the i'lre resistant Wrapper may be removed to form an ash tray and used as a receptacle and closed upon the contents for discarding.

EDITH D. ALLEN. 

